Theo Walcott was omitted from England’s final 23-man World Cup squad on Tuesday, one of seven players dropped by coach Fabio Capello following a training camp.
Capello preferred the more experienced Joe Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips to the Arsenal winger, who was at the 2006 World Cup at age 17 but never played.
Capello also left Darren Bent, Tom Huddlestone, Adam Johnson, Scott Parker, Michael Dawson and Leighton Baines out.
D
efensive midfielder Gareth Barry is included despite an ankle injury that could still rule him out of England’s opening match against USA on June 12.
Bent’s omission means that Emile Heskey will go to a second World Cup despite starting fewer than half Aston Villa’s Premier League matches this season.
The Squad
Goalkeepers: David James (Portsmouth), Robert Green (West Ham), Joe Hart (Manchester City).
Defenders: Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), John Terry (Chelsea), Matthew Upson (West Ham), Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Ledley King (Tottenham), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Stephen Warnock (Aston Villa).
Midfielders: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City), James Milner (Aston Villa), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Gareth Barry (Man City).
Strikers: Peter Crouch (Tottenham), Emile Heskey (Aston Villa), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham). — AP